Sam McCord
10-27-2016, 10:38 PM
Welcome to
"B" Company, of the
2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry
"The La Crosse Light Guard"
4696
History
The story of B Company begins with a militia unit that was formed in the 1850s in the town of La Crosse, Wisconsin, located on the scenic bluffs of the Mississippi River. The militia was named "The La Crosse Light Guard," though they served more of a ceremonial purpose rather than a militaristic one. The Light Guard held a festival and ball on the fourth of July in the years 1859 and 1860. At that particular event in 1860, the "Ladies of La Crosse" presented the Light Guard with their distinctive flag, on it a blue oval with an eagle in the center.
In April of 1861, with the sounds of war drums on the horizon, the Light Guard began recruiting men to go and fight for the city of La Crosse, the state of Wisconsin and the United States of America, at the urge of President Lincoln's request for 75,000 volunteers. Soon enough, the Light Guard had a full company of men, and they set off for Madison to begin training.
In May of 1861, the La Crosse Light Guard was officially Federalized and organized into "B" Company of the 2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The 2nd Wisconsin left by train to Washington, D.C. to fight against the rebellion. The 2nd Wisconsin fought in some of the bloodiest battles of the war on the Eastern Theater, their first taste of action being at First Manassas, or "Bull Run," fighting under Colonel William T. Sherman. The 2nd Wisconsin was later placed into the now-famed "Iron Brigade," fighting alongside the 6th, and 7th Wisconsin as well as the 19th Indiana (later to be joined by the 24th Michigan). The "Iron Brigade" was placed under the command of Brigadier General John Gibbon, who turned his brigade of Midwestern men into a crack unit of soldiers, outfitted with good looking uniforms, complete with white canvas leggings, and the tall, black Hardee hat; which gave the Iron Brigade it's iconic look and moniker of "Those damn black hats."
The battles came in quick succession beginning in 1862. On Aug. 28, the La Crosse boys were out front as the skirmishers at Brawner Farm, near Gainesville, Va. The brigade held off multiple brigades of Stonewall Jackson's army corps in a vicious, bloody stand-up fight at only 75 yards range that stopped only when darkness fell. The Wisconsin and Indiana boys, shoulder to shoulder, held their ranks, trading .58-caliber volley for volley with the rebels for more than an hour and a half. Three out of five soldiers in the 2nd Wisconsin Regiment were wounded, some more than once. After getting bandaged up, they returned to the line, giving as good as they got. A Georgia regiment suffered more than 80 percent casualties at the hands of the boys from the "Old Northwest." For the first time ever, a Federal unit had held fast against Stonewall Jackson.
A few weeks later, on September 14, the 2nd Wisconsin helped lead the final assault from Turner's Gap at the battle of South Mountain. It was here that Gibbon's brigade was first called the "Iron Brigade." Three days later, the Iron Brigade led General Joe Hooker's 1st Division in the charge through Miller's cornfield, along Antietam Creek at Sharpsburg, Md. The casualty rates kept climbing as the 2nd Wisconsin and the Iron Brigade kept fighting on through the war. On July 1st through the 3rd. of 1863, the 2nd Wisconsin fought at Gettysburg, at McPherson's woods, and on Culp's Hill. By the third of July, the entire regiment numbered only 69 able bodied men to fight. The 2nd Wisconsin fought it's last campaign in 1864 at "The Wilderness."
The 2nd Wisconsin was mustered out of service on July 2, 1864, totaling about 270 of the original 1,051 men who left Madison in 1861. Company B, the "La Crosse light guard," returned home numbering 27 of the original 130 men who had left three years earlier.
More to come,
W.I.P.
Drill manual:
Hardee's Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics, Lt Col. William J. Hardee, U.S. Army, 1855:
http://www.public.asu.edu/~roblewis/ACW/hardee%20toc.htm
"B" Company, of the
2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry
"The La Crosse Light Guard"
4696
History
The story of B Company begins with a militia unit that was formed in the 1850s in the town of La Crosse, Wisconsin, located on the scenic bluffs of the Mississippi River. The militia was named "The La Crosse Light Guard," though they served more of a ceremonial purpose rather than a militaristic one. The Light Guard held a festival and ball on the fourth of July in the years 1859 and 1860. At that particular event in 1860, the "Ladies of La Crosse" presented the Light Guard with their distinctive flag, on it a blue oval with an eagle in the center.
In April of 1861, with the sounds of war drums on the horizon, the Light Guard began recruiting men to go and fight for the city of La Crosse, the state of Wisconsin and the United States of America, at the urge of President Lincoln's request for 75,000 volunteers. Soon enough, the Light Guard had a full company of men, and they set off for Madison to begin training.
In May of 1861, the La Crosse Light Guard was officially Federalized and organized into "B" Company of the 2nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The 2nd Wisconsin left by train to Washington, D.C. to fight against the rebellion. The 2nd Wisconsin fought in some of the bloodiest battles of the war on the Eastern Theater, their first taste of action being at First Manassas, or "Bull Run," fighting under Colonel William T. Sherman. The 2nd Wisconsin was later placed into the now-famed "Iron Brigade," fighting alongside the 6th, and 7th Wisconsin as well as the 19th Indiana (later to be joined by the 24th Michigan). The "Iron Brigade" was placed under the command of Brigadier General John Gibbon, who turned his brigade of Midwestern men into a crack unit of soldiers, outfitted with good looking uniforms, complete with white canvas leggings, and the tall, black Hardee hat; which gave the Iron Brigade it's iconic look and moniker of "Those damn black hats."
The battles came in quick succession beginning in 1862. On Aug. 28, the La Crosse boys were out front as the skirmishers at Brawner Farm, near Gainesville, Va. The brigade held off multiple brigades of Stonewall Jackson's army corps in a vicious, bloody stand-up fight at only 75 yards range that stopped only when darkness fell. The Wisconsin and Indiana boys, shoulder to shoulder, held their ranks, trading .58-caliber volley for volley with the rebels for more than an hour and a half. Three out of five soldiers in the 2nd Wisconsin Regiment were wounded, some more than once. After getting bandaged up, they returned to the line, giving as good as they got. A Georgia regiment suffered more than 80 percent casualties at the hands of the boys from the "Old Northwest." For the first time ever, a Federal unit had held fast against Stonewall Jackson.
A few weeks later, on September 14, the 2nd Wisconsin helped lead the final assault from Turner's Gap at the battle of South Mountain. It was here that Gibbon's brigade was first called the "Iron Brigade." Three days later, the Iron Brigade led General Joe Hooker's 1st Division in the charge through Miller's cornfield, along Antietam Creek at Sharpsburg, Md. The casualty rates kept climbing as the 2nd Wisconsin and the Iron Brigade kept fighting on through the war. On July 1st through the 3rd. of 1863, the 2nd Wisconsin fought at Gettysburg, at McPherson's woods, and on Culp's Hill. By the third of July, the entire regiment numbered only 69 able bodied men to fight. The 2nd Wisconsin fought it's last campaign in 1864 at "The Wilderness."
The 2nd Wisconsin was mustered out of service on July 2, 1864, totaling about 270 of the original 1,051 men who left Madison in 1861. Company B, the "La Crosse light guard," returned home numbering 27 of the original 130 men who had left three years earlier.
More to come,
W.I.P.
Drill manual:
Hardee's Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics, Lt Col. William J. Hardee, U.S. Army, 1855:
http://www.public.asu.edu/~roblewis/ACW/hardee%20toc.htm